Ghost Ending II
by blueray
Summary: Alternate Ending for Ghost. Please read the original fic first.


Harry groaned. His head was throbbing, his eyes were unfocused and no sooner did he try to sit up, he wanted to throw up. In short, he felt like shit.

"Puke it out, go on."

It wasn't like he had any choice anyway…

Harry stumbled towards the bathroom. Draco wrinkled his nose in disgust at the retching sounds. He had never seen someone so wasted.

He then heard a dull thud and a loud 'Ow!' and Harry came back out, clutching at his stomach.

"How many?" he asked weakly.

"Four and half."

Harry groaned again and collapsed on the bed.

"How'd I get up here?"

"Dobby."

Harry nodded, but it only worsened his pain.

"Drink that," Draco pointed to a glass placed on the table besides the bed, "Anti-hangover potion."

Harry gratefully drank it one gulp. Immediately, his headache receded, his mind cleared…

And the memories of last night came rushing back to him.

"Shower and get ready…" With that, Draco slipped through the floor.

Harry slowly stood up. So, Draco knew now…and by what he had said last night…

Harry rubbed his forehead, it was unclear…

Draco had stayed back because he had never loved someone. No, never loved someone who loved him back. And…Harry racked his brains to remember…he wouldn't have stayed back if…if he had met Harry earlier.

Harry's eyes widened._ Oh shit…._

Harry turned on the shower. The hot water washed away whatever was left of the hangover. What would he say to Draco now? Harry mentally cursed himself for getting into this mess.

He was just buttoning his shirt and contemplating what course he should take, when Draco slipped into the room again.

"I told Dobby to apparate your friends back home," he said impassively.

Harry nodded mutely.

There was silence for a while then Draco sighed, "Okay, so both of us know what happened last night. And well…I shouldn't have said that…"

Harry looked at him, confused.

"I-" Draco paused, as if wondering how best to put forward his thoughts, "I'm a ghost…I'm dead…"

Harry bit his lip, wondering what to say, when Draco spoke up again.

"Ca-can we just forget all that happened?"

Harry lowered his eyes…

"I wanna show you something…"

Harry looked up again, confusion in his eyes.

Draco led him to the locked room.

"It has a password, I can't believe you couldn't figure that out…"

Harry allowed himself a smile, "True, that was the most obvious thing…"

"Dragonfire"

The door swung open, revealing Draco's bedroom. It was less elaborate compared to the one at manor, yet beautiful all the same. There were many pictures on the wall, of Draco with his friends, his parents, a copy of the picture that Draco had gifted Harry. And in one corner lay a pensive.

"Memories of me collected from different sources. I want you to add yours to them…"

Harry silently walked towards the pensive, its silvery white contents swirling. Harry prodded it and glimpsed a fleeting image of himself.

"Draco," Harry said, surprised, "You have a memory of me…"

"Can't be!" Draco said, disbelievingly.

"Come and see," Harry prodded the contents again and his face swam again in it, "Can you enter?"

"Of course," Draco said impatiently, "What do you think ghosts are made up of?"

Harry blinked confusedly, "You mean-"

"Just get in!"

Harry repressed all other questions and plunged headfirst into the pensive, Draco slipping in behind him.

They were in the elevator in the Ministry with Draco and Zac Bell. Draco was deeply engrossed in reading some parchment. The elevator doors slid open…and in walked Harry.

Both Harry and Draco gasped.

"Hello Harry," Zac Bell said, "Working late tonight?"

Harry nodded, "Sure isn't easy being an Auror."

Draco looked up at that moment, nodded at Harry and resumed his reading.

"The fool!" Draco hissed, "One word! He could've said at least one word!"

"Wouldn't have made a big difference anyway…" Harry said.

One floor up and Harry stepped out again, leaving Draco and Zac behind.

"Which memory is this?"

Draco didn't reply immediately, "The day I died…"

_That's why I felt I had seen Draco somewhere before…cause I had…_

"Draco, I don't wanna watch…lets leave please."

Draco nodded mutely and the two rose out of the pensive.

"So I shouldn't have stayed back…" Draco said, his voice hollow.

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't want to die! Hell, I hadn't done anything in life and I had already lost it! That was the first thought that came to my mind…that I hadn't even _seen_ a person I loved. That very word makes the difference! I saw you Harry…"

"But it doesn't make any sense…you didn't love me at that time. You just-" _do so now. He loves me…_

But Harry noticed something else, some of the colour was returning to Draco's silver skin.

"Draco," Harry gasped, "You're solidifying…"

"I know….that means…of course, I've lost my reason to stay back…"

"So you mean…" _No No No…_

"Goodbye, Harry"

Harry grabbed Draco's hand. It was still cold, but he could touch it, he could feel Draco's skin. Draco intertwined his fingers through Harry's.

"Thank you," Draco said, "I don't have to stay back anymore…" He raised their intertwined hands and kissed them softly, "I know you might not love me back-"

Harry's lips cut him off. Draco stumbled back at the fierceness of the kiss. Its raw passion sending shivers down his spine. Harry's other hand snaked through Draco's hair while the other was still tightly entwined with Draco's. Lips crashed, tongues fought to relish the other's taste. For both of them knew this would not last for long. This was to be just once and Harry wanted it to last for eternity.

The broke apart, panting, lips bruised. Already, Draco was blurring again. When a ghost loses its reason to stay back, it returns back to it's alive form for a while and then its essence fades out forever. The very same was happening to Draco. But for him, it was the world around that was fading. As though he were being pulled back into some blackhole.

"Draco," said Harry, "I don't want you to go back with the same regret with you. I do love you. I love you_. I love you_!" He practically shouted out the last time. He tried to fight back the tears but they slipped down anyway.

Draco smiled, "I know. I love you too, Harry." His voice sounded distant. As though it was coming from some far away place. He was translucent now. Harry could see through him. And he was fading fast.

"Go-goodbye _Malfoy_."

Surprise flitted across Draco's face and his smile turned into a grin, "Goodbye, _Potter_. The house is yours now…"

And these were his last words before his essence well and truly left this world. Harry made no attempts to hold back his tears now. They flowed fast and freely.

_He's a ghost Harry…_

_He was a ghost, Ginny. Now he's not even that…_

* * *

"Harry"

Harry looked around and saw Narcissa Malfoy heading towards him.

"Hello, Mrs. Malfoy," Harry gave her a small smile.

"You come here everyday?" Narcissa laid a bunch of roses on the grave, next to the red ones brought by Harry.

"Yes"

"Ah, I see. Harry, I think that its good that he left. At least he won't have to live in want and longing for the rest of his existence now…"

"And what about me, Mrs. Malfoy?" Harry said bitterly, "What should I do?"

"Live," Narcissa said simply, "if not for you, then at least for him."

They stood in silence after that. Harry contemplating what she had said. Draco had died once in agony and pain, and he had died again, but this time, it was with a smile on his face. And it was all that mattered…

"Maybe…you're right, Mrs. Malfoy. Thank you…"

She smiled, "I'd like it if you'd come over for dinner tonight."

"I- I'd love to come…thank you…"

* * *

It has been almost a year now. Harry still lived in that same house. He wouldn't sell it for all the galleons in the world.

"Harry Potter is getting late, sir!" Dobby squeaked as he poured him a glass of juice.

"When is he ever on time?"

"Shut up, Draco." Harry snapped at the portrait. The portrait was actually supposed to be in the Malfoy Manor, but Narcissa had herself asked Harry to take it with him. Now there were frames of him in each room, and one back at the Manor as well. Harry knew that he could never be with Draco anyway, so, ghost or portrait, didn't matter much.

"Don't speak while eating."

Harry ignored him and finished his bacon.

"Right, see you at night." Harry said hurriedly, grabbing his things.

"Yep…b'bye."

"Bye"

And not one heard the 'love' that was whispered in an undertone by both of them.

**The End.**

**This was the original ending...but the readers preferred the alternate one. So I switched! **


End file.
